To reduce the project to a 2 year proposal, I have retained the overall theme which is to study the effect of connective tissues of the sclera and peripapillary nerve head on axonal injury and RGC death. The portions of the 5 year proposal that were eliminated were much of former Aim 2 and 3 which dealt with studies of nerve head capillary function, and the roles of endothelin and tumor necrosis factor _ in RGC injury. We expect to test the role of connective tissue alteration in the ultimate survival of RGC in chronic experimental glaucoma (former Aim 4, now Aim 3), including the effect of chemical scleral cross-linking. To complete the project in 2 years, we eliminated from the 5 year proposal Hypotheses 7, 8, 9, and 11.